Alcohol Awareness Week Blog: 1st – 7th July 2025 Understanding Alcohol Dependency – A Compassionate Look at Its Impact and the Path to Healing

Alcohol Awareness Week 2025 offers an opportunity to compassionately explore and raise awareness about the far-reaching effects of alcohol use and dependency. While alcohol is often socially accepted, its regular or excessive use, especially as a coping mechanism, can cause significant harm to individuals, families, and wider communities. 

This blog aims to open a safe, informed, and supportive conversation around alcohol dependency, its underlying causes, and the healing support available through Mindful Moments Therapies and beyond.

The Physical Toll of Alcohol Especially on Young Bodies

For young people, the effects of alcohol are especially damaging. The developing brain continues to mature into the mid 20s, and regular alcohol use during this time can lead to long term cognitive impairments, disrupted emotional regulation, and increased risk of dependency in later life. Physical effects of excessive alcohol use can include:

• Liver disease (cirrhosis, fatty liver, hepatitis)
• Increased cancer risk (particularly liver, mouth, throat, and breast)
• Cardiovascular problems
• Impaired immune function
• Hormonal imbalances

For young and developing bodies, alcohol can impair growth, sleep, memory, and learning, key foundations for a healthy adult life.

Alcohol Dependency and Mental Health,  A Vicious Cycle

Many who become dependent on alcohol do so not out of choice, but as a response to unresolved trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or chronic stress. Alcohol becomes a form of self medication, numbing pain that may feel too overwhelming to process. However, this short-term relief often deepens mental health struggles over time, causing:

• Increased anxiety and depression
• Dissociation or emotional detachment
• Impaired decision-making
• Sleep disruption
• Increased risk of self-harm and suicidal ideation

It is important to view alcohol dependency not as a failure of will, but as a symptom of pain, and one that deserves care and support.

The Financial Impact of Alcohol Dependency

Dependency does not only affect health, it affects income, employment, and financial security. People may find themselves:

• Struggling to hold down jobs
• Facing increasing debt to fund their use
• Prioritising alcohol over basic needs
• Experiencing housing instability

Families may feel financial strain, leading to increased conflict, stress, and even homelessness. Dependency has a ripple effect, impacting all areas of stability and safety.

Alcohol Dependency Through the Eyes of Loved Ones

Partners, friends, and families of those living with alcohol dependency often experience:

• Helplessness and emotional fatigue
• Hypervigilance, co-dependency, or enabling behaviours
• Erosion of trust and intimacy in relationships
• Isolation and shame

Support networks often shrink over time. Loved ones may struggle to balance compassion with self-preservation, particularly when dependency becomes aggressive, unpredictable, or all-consuming.

Children Living with Alcohol-Dependent Adults

Children in households affected by alcohol misuse often endure complex trauma, marked by:

• Emotional neglect or inconsistency
• Insecure attachment styles
• Feelings of fear, shame, or responsibility
• Developmental delays or learning difficulties
• A higher risk of replicating the cycle in adulthood

These children may grow up faster than their years, becoming carers or protectors. Their mental well-being is often shaped by their environment, making them vulnerable to long-term mental health struggles, mistrust, or relational issues.

Understanding this through the lens of trauma and attachment allows for early intervention, compassionate parenting support, and therapeutic healing, not blame.

Alcohol and Isolation – The Shrinking World

As dependency progresses, people often withdraw from meaningful relationships, hobbies, and routines. This social shrinkage contributes to:

• Loneliness and disconnection
• Reduced self-worth
• A distorted sense of identity
• Disengagement from life purpose or community

Neglect of self, whether in hygiene, nutrition, emotional care, or social engagement, is a common and devastating side effect. It reinforces the cycle of addiction and detachment.

Alcoholism as Disease, Removing Blame

Alcohol dependency is not a moral failing. It is a progressive disease, often hereditary, always complex, and deeply individual. Viewing alcoholism through a trauma-informed lens allows for:

• Greater compassion and understanding
• Recognition of triggers and root causes
• A non-judgemental approach to recovery

Groups at high risk include those in high-pressure roles such as the military, emergency services, or high-responsibility occupations. However, anyone can become dependent, regardless of background, class, education, or status.

The Role of Culture and Social Norms

Alcohol is deeply embedded in UK culture, from celebrations and sporting events to stress relief at the end of a long week. This normalisation can blur the lines between social drinking and harmful use. People struggling may not recognise the problem because their drinking mirrors that of their peers or community.

• The stigma of abstaining from alcohol
• Peer pressure in social and professional settings
• The "wine o'clock" or binge-drinking culture
• How normalisation delays seeking help

Impact on Employment and Professional Life

Alcohol dependency often affects work performance, professional relationships, and career progression. Some signs include:

• Poor concentration and memory lapses
• Frequent sick days or lateness
• Reduced productivity or missed deadlines
• Strained colleague relationships
• Workplace accidents or errors in judgement

For employers and employees alike, it’s important to know that addiction is a health issue, not a moral one, and that early intervention can lead to recovery and reintegration.

The Link Between Alcohol and Domestic Abuse

Alcohol can exacerbate situations of domestic abuse, either as a contributing factor or as a coping mechanism for survivors. While alcohol does not cause abuse, it can:

• Increase volatility and impulsivity
• Lower inhibitions and reduce emotional control
• Be used to justify harmful behaviour

Survivors may also turn to alcohol themselves to numb or escape trauma. It's important to approach this subject carefully, highlighting that support is available for both survivors and those seeking to break abusive cycles.

Alcohol, Grief and Loss

Alcohol is often used to cope with grief, from bereavement to the loss of a relationship, job, or sense of self. When grieving is interrupted by alcohol use, it can:

• Delay emotional processing
• Suppress natural mourning cycles
• Reinforce isolation and numbness

Creating compassionate spaces to feel and process grief without needing to turn to alcohol is central to trauma-informed healing.

Neuroscience of Addiction. What Happens in the Brain? 

• Alcohol activates the dopamine reward system, reinforcing use.
• Over time, the brain adapts, producing less dopamine naturally.
• This leads to increased cravings and reduced pleasure from other activities.
• The prefrontal cortex, responsible for judgement and impulse control, becomes impaired, making it harder to make healthy choices.
• Emotional regulation suffers, contributing to a cycle of anxiety, shame, and further use.

This understanding helps frame alcohol use not as “bad behaviour” but as a neurological survival loop—which can be rewired with time, support, and compassion.

Relapse as Part of the Process, Not the End

Many people feel deep shame after a relapse, but it’s essential to understand that relapse is often a part of recovery, not a failure.

• The emotional aftermath of relapse
• How to respond to a relapse with self-compassion
• The importance of support in those moments
• Phiona’s work with regulating the nervous system after a relapse

This can help shift the focus from “starting over” to continuing the journey, with deeper understanding.

The Social Landscape of Alcohol, When Drinking Becomes the Norm

In the UK, alcohol is not only widely consumed, it is often deeply ingrained in daily social rituals, traditions, and celebrations. From weddings and birthdays to workplace functions and Friday nights, the presence of alcohol is often expected rather than optional. This widespread normalisation of drinking culture can make it exceptionally difficult for people to recognise when their use has become harmful or to feel safe opting out.

The Stigma of Abstaining from Alcohol

Choosing not to drink, even temporarily, is often met with suspicion, discomfort, or pressure. People may find themselves having to explain or justify their choice, facing responses such as:

• “Go on, just one won’t hurt.”
• “Are you pregnant?”
• “Don’t be boring.”
• “What’s wrong with you?”

This stigma around abstaining can make it incredibly isolating for those in recovery or even just exploring a break from alcohol. For some, the social consequences of not drinking can feel more daunting than the physical or mental consequences of continuing.

Peer Pressure in Social and Professional Settings

Alcohol is not only a social connection in friendships, but also a feature of many professional environments. Networking events, team outings, and client entertainment often revolve around alcohol consumption, placing individuals in challenging positions.

Those who are alcohol dependent may use as justification:
"Everyone drinks like this at work, it’s just how we bond."

Those trying to stop may feel they risk being excluded, judged, or overlooked professionally. This creates a situation where alcohol misuse can be encouraged or excused by workplace culture, rather than addressed.

The "Wine O’Clock" and Binge-Drinking Culture

Phrases like “It’s wine o’clock!”, “I need drink,” or “Weekend means Prosecco”are normalised, often light-hearted expressions. But beneath them can lie more serious concerns:

• Routine dependency masked as humour
• Emotional regulation replaced by ritualised drinking
• Escapism disguised as self-care

The UK's reputation for binge drinking, especially on weekends, adds another layer. Drinking to excess is often treated as a rite of passage, something to laugh about the next day, rather than a possible red flag for deeper issues.

How Normalisation Delays Help-Seeking

When alcohol misuse is culturally accepted, it becomes much harder for people to recognise their own dependency or to seek help without shame. Common beliefs that delay support include:

• “Everyone drinks like this.”
• “It’s not affecting my work or family (yet).”
• “I don’t drink every day.”
• “I don’t need help, I just need a break.”

These social and cultural messages make it easier for the dependent person to remain in denial or minimise their experience, and harder for loved ones to raise concerns without seeming confrontational.

Therapeutic Support to Unpack Cultural Conditioning

Part of the work Phiona does through Mindful Moments Therapies is helping clients to disentangle their relationship with alcohol from societal expectation. Through clinical hypnotherapy, breathwork, and EFT, clients can:

• Explore their true reasons for drinking or abstaining
• Reconnect with internal motivation, rather than external pressure
• Build resilience against peer pressure and cultural norms
• Reclaim their sense of agency and authentic choice

This is done not from a place of shame or restriction, but from empowerment and deep self-awareness.

How Trauma Lives in the Body

Many of those who drink to cope with trauma may not even realise they carry chronic dysregulation in their nervous system.

• How trauma becomes "stored" in the body
• Why numbing (with alcohol) may be the only known method of coping
• How somatic therapies like breathwork, EFT, and hypnotherapy offer new regulation pathways
• How Phiona  helps clients feel safe enough in their bodies to process difficult emotions

Trauma in the Body, Why Numbing Becomes Survival

Many people living with alcohol dependency are not “chasing a high”, they are escaping pain. For them, alcohol isn’t about indulgence; it’s about survival. The root of that pain is often unresolved trauma, stored not just in the mind, but in the body.

Understanding this mind body connection is essential for recovery. Trauma isn’t always something that happened to us, it can also be something that happened inside us, in response to overwhelming or unsupported experiences.

How Trauma Becomes Stored in the Body

When the nervous system perceives danger, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, it activates the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response. In the moment, this is adaptive and protective. But when trauma is chronic, unprocessed, or repeated, the body may remain stuck in this activated state.

• Muscles hold tension from past fear
• Breathing becomes shallow and restricted
• The gut-brain axis may dysregulate digestion, mood, and immunity
• Emotions become trapped and unexpressed
• The person feels “wired but tired”, or numb and disconnected

This stored trauma creates a physiological loop of hypervigilance, anxiety, shutdown, or disassociation. And it often happens beneath conscious awareness.

Why Numbing with Alcohol Becomes the Only Known Coping Strategy

In the absence of safe emotional expression or regulation, alcohol offers:

• Temporary relief from anxious thoughts and racing minds
• Emotional dulling, numbing feelings of sadness, anger, or fear
• Social lubrication when shame or trauma has made connection difficult
• A way to override physical symptoms of panic, dread, or pain

For many, alcohol is not the problem, it’s the solution they found. The only one that seemed to work. Until it didn’t.

This is why simply removing alcohol, without addressing why it was needed, can leave a person emotionally raw, dysregulated, and at high risk of relapse.

Somatic Therapies: Rebuilding Safety From the Inside Out

Phiona’s work at Mindful Moments Therapies is rooted in somatic healing, that is, healing that includes the body, not just the thoughts or behaviours.

Through Breathwork, EFT, and Clinical Hypnotherapy, clients can:

Breathwork

Restore calm, reset the vagus nerve, and come back into the present moment. Breath becomes a bridge from panic to peace, from disconnection to embodiment.

Clinical Hypnotherapy

Work safely with the subconscious, where many trauma responses originate. Gently change the internal narrative from survival-based to healing-focused, without reliving painful memories.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

Discharge emotional intensity from the nervous system. Tapping on meridian points while acknowledging difficult feelings helps clear emotional “backlog” in a safe and non-verbal way.

These therapies don't force clients to “fix” or “solve” anything. Instead, they create new pathways of regulation,so that when stress arises, the body and mind know how to respond without alcohol.

How Phiona Creates a Safe Space for Embodiment

Many clients with trauma have learned that it is not safe to be in their bodies. They may feel numb, disconnected, or even afraid of physical sensations. Phiona understands this deeply and works at a pace that respects each client’s capacity and rhythm.

Her approach includes:

• Trauma-informed listening, with no expectation to “tell the whole story”
• Gentle orientation to bodily sensations in a safe and contained way
• Helping clients build internal resources what feels comforting, grounding, manageable
• Fostering trust in the self, so that emotions no longer feel dangerous, but simply messages to be met with compassion

In this space, clients are not asked to be “better.” They are invited to be curious, compassionate, and present, perhaps for the first time in a long time.

Recovery That Includes the Whole Self

Healing from alcohol dependency isn't just about abstinence. It’s about helping the nervous system learn that it’s finally safe. That it no longer needs to run, numb, or hide. That the pain has a place to go. And that the person beneath the pain is worthy of care, connection, and calm.

Phiona’s somatic approach honours the body’s story, and helps clients rewrite it, gently and with dignity.

Regulating the Nervous System After a Relapse – Phiona’s  Approach to Gentle Reintegration

Relapse is a deeply human part of the recovery journey. It can bring with it intense feelings of shame, guilt, despair, and failure. But from a therapeutic perspective, a relapse is not a step backward, it’s an opportunity to learn, reconnect, and regulate. The key is not in avoiding relapse at all costs, but in how we respond to it, emotionally and physiologically.

At Mindful Moments Therapies, Phiona works with clients who are navigating the complex emotional and bodily responses that often follow a relapse. This work is not about judgement. It is about safety, nervous system repair, and re-anchoring self-trust.

The Nervous System and Relapse, What Happens Internally

When someone relapses, the nervous system often becomes dysregulated in a number of ways:

• Fight-or-flight: The mind may become overwhelmed with inner criticism or fear of consequences.
• Freeze or shutdown: A person may dissociate, numb out, or feel emotionally flat.
• Hypervigilance: Worry about being “found out,” losing trust, or spiralling out of control.
• Shame loop: The internal dialogue becomes punitive, “I’ve ruined everything.”

These responses are not just in the mind, they are somatic experiences. They live in the body. And if left unprocessed, they can push a person further away from recovery, leading to deeper disconnection and isolation.

Phiona’s Therapeutic Work After Relapse

Phiona provides a space where clients can:

• Slow down enough to hear what the body is saying
• Understand that relapse is information, not failure
• Regulate and soothe the nervous system through breathwork, EFT, and somatic inquiry
• Process the emotional charge without retraumatising or re-shaming the self
• Rebuild a sense of inner safety, especially when shame or fear is loud

Breathwork and Relapse Recovery

After relapse, the breath is often shallow, tight, or held. Breathwork with Phiona gently restores rhythm to the body, helps release stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline), and brings the client back into the parasympathetic state, the 'rest and repair' mode.

This work is not about pushing forward or “fixing” the person. It’s about creating conditions where healing becomes possible again, without force, fear, or judgement.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Hypnotherapy

EFT is used to clear the intense emotional residue after relapse, guilt, regret, fear of being judged, hopelessness. Through tapping on meridian points while voicing these emotions, the body releases stored energetic blocks, allowing more groundedness and clarity.

Hypnotherapy, in this phase, can:

• Rewire self-talk
• Address limiting subconscious beliefs (“I’ll never change,” “I’m broken”)
• Reinforce the why behind recovery
• Reconnect the client to their inner resourcefulness and long-term goals

This work helps clients re-engage with their recovery path, not through punishment or willpower alone, but through compassion, reconnection, and deep regulation.

Holding a Shame-Free Space

Phiona recognises that many people have internalised the message that relapse equals failure. But through a trauma informed, somatic lens, relapse is understood as a sign that:

• Something in the system needed relief
• A trigger overwhelmed current coping resources
• The body reverted to an old pattern that once offered protection

Rather than reinforcing shame that is often found in society, Phiona’s work invites clients to understand what the relapse was trying to communicateand to build new ways of meeting that need with self-compassion and support.

Supporting the Journey, Not Judging It

Recovery is not a straight line. Phiona walks with clients through the spirals and returns, the regressions and restarts. The work is grounded in body-based healing, emotional safety, and nervous system repair, so that each experience, even a relapse, becomes an opportunity for deeper resilience and wholeness.

Denial and Secrecy. The Hidden Side of Alcohol Dependency

One of the most complex and painful aspects of alcohol dependency is denial, not just of the severity of use, but often of the emotional pain that drives it. 

Many individuals who are dependent on alcohol go to great lengths to hide their drinking, from loved ones, employers, and sometimes even themselves.

This might look like:

• Drinking in secret, hiding bottles, or concealing the extent of use
• Downplaying the problem, blaming stress, work, or relationships
• Defensiveness or anger when the topic is raised
• Functioning alcoholism, where individuals maintain jobs or appearances despite deepening dependence
• Shame and guilt, which often reinforces the desire to hide

Denial is not a lack of insight; it is often a protective psychological mechanism. For many, admitting the extent of dependency means confronting painful truths about trauma, relationships, or self worth. And when alcohol has become a source of comfort or numbing, the idea of letting it go can feel terrifying.

From a therapist’s perspective, it’s essential to understand that denial is not dishonesty, it’s survival. Gently supporting someone to move through this stage requires patience, empathy, and safety, not pressure or ultimatums.

Phiona’s work at Mindful Moments Therapies honours this process. She supports clients at all stages of change, including those who are beginning to question whether alcohol is still serving them. With a non judgemental and trauma informed approach, clients can safely explore the roots of their habits and find new ways of coping, without shame, without fear.

Phiona’s Therapeutic Support Through Mindful Moments Therapies

For those actively seeking change, or supporting someone who is, Phiona offers a safe, empowering space to heal. Her integrative approach includes:

• Clinical Hypnotherapy – to reframe subconscious habits and beliefs
• Breathwork – to calm the nervous system and release stored trauma
• EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) – to release emotional blockages
• Somatic Therapy – to reconnect mind, body, and emotions
• Nervous System Regulation – to rebuild emotional resilience

This holistic, trauma-informed support does not replace recovery programmes such as AA or detox clinics, but works in harmony with them, offering gentle and effective healing of the deeper roots of dependency.

Phiona holds space for those who feel numb, lost, or overwhelmed by what they’re facing. She works with empathy, not blame, compassion, not criticism. Her aim is to walk with you, at your pace, on a path toward renewed connection with self and life.

Support and Helplines in the UK

If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol, help is available:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA UK): www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk | 0800 9177 650
• Al-Anon Family Groups UK: Support for families of alcohol-dependent individuals | www.al-anonuk.org.uk | 0800 0086 811
• Drinkline (NHS): 0300 123 1110 – Free and confidential
• Turning Point: www.turning-point.co.uk – National health and social care services
• Adfam: www.adfam.org.uk – Support for families affected by drugs and alcohol
• Shelter: www.shelter.org.uk | 0808 800 4444 – Housing and homelessness help
• Crisis: www.crisis.org.uk – Support for those experiencing homelessness

Final Thoughts: A Path Forward with Compassion and Care

Alcohol Awareness Week reminds us that behind every dependency is a person, often someone in pain, in need of connection, support, and healing. This is a time not only to raise awareness but to offer hope.

You are not alone. Whether you’re just beginning to explore your relationship with alcohol, supporting someone in need, or already on the journey of recovery, you deserve compassion, care, and a chance to heal.

Whether you’re just beginning to question your relationship with alcohol, supporting someone through dependency, or navigating the aftermath of trauma, you are welcome here.

There is space for your story. And there is support for your healing.

Reach out today and take the first step, not toward perfection, but toward connection, regulation, and real, lasting change.

To explore therapeutic support with Phiona at Mindful Moments Therapies, or to learn more about how breathwork, hypnotherapy, and somatic healing can help you or someone you love, please get in touch.

Whether you're dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma, bereavement or looking to break habits, reframe fears, or phobias. Phiona can help you develop approaches to overcome these barriers that prevent you from living life to the fullest. Helping you navigate life’s challenges and take the next step towards a brighter, calmer future.

If you feel you would like support, and you feel therapy may be the answer. I offer 15 minute complimentary  consultations, for you to have the chance to discover how therapy might support you. Visit my website for more information. 

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